Fall is definitely in the air here. It's not quite as far as that photo from a couple years ago, but it is getting closer and our nighttime temperatures are getting cooler and cooler. We had the last rigor mortis of summer this past week, and while the weather shaman is predicting some hotter days next week, I think that is largely wishful thinking. Last week I mentioned how we are slashing our grocery budget and using what we have. Well, part of that was taking inventory of all the food in our kitchen, fridge and freezer, our pantry, our stand up freezer, and our chest freezer. We are almost finished with that task, and should finish everything up tomorrow. There is the refrigerator, four shelves in our kitchen, the spice rack and spice drawer, our coffee and tea, our liquor cabinet, and the last half of our pantry storage to do. I have already done all three freezers (including the one attached to the fridge), the flex drawer of our refrigerator (which is just at freezing, but not below) where we keep our nuts and whole spices and chocolate chips and such, the drawers (except for the spices) in the kitchen, all our grain/bean/rice/flour/sugar type bins, the produce outside of the refrigerator, and Rich did half the pantry storage.

We have a lot of food here. I knew that, and we buy in bulk and in large quantities, just to feed the family, but somehow seeing it on 20 sheets of paper (with at least another 12 to go) has brought it home to me. Again, God is good to us. Both Rich and I have felt an urgency to prepare for whatever might come this fall, whether that be more stringent Covid restrictions (though our county has had relatively few serious cases and very few deaths), or economic trouble related to all the shut downs, or shortages, or limits on purchases, or who knows what. We want to be prepared and able to care for our family, regardless of what is going on around us. We are so blessed to have what we have here, and have our gleaning club and generous friends with farms and gardens, and our own garden. It has been good to be able to bless others with that plenty, as well. I pray that you are in plenty, and not in lack or in fear.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Egg, Cheese and Tomato Biscuits, Pears, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Jalapeno Popper Pizza and Mexican Pizza, Leftover Chopped Salad, Sliced Watermelon
• Monday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Potatoes O'Brien, Sausage, Toast, Sliced Apples, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Italian Sausage and Potato Bake, Italian Bread, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday - Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Blessed Virgin and Mother
  Breakfast: Steel Cut Oats with Raisins and Brown Sugar, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Spaghetti Squash Carbonara, Garlic Bread, Steam Sautéed Kohlrabi, Carrots and Zucchini, Sliced Watermelon, Chocolate Velvet Cake* with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Ful, Green Hot Sauce, Toast, Sliced Apples, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Layered Tortilla Casserole, Salsa Rice, Cilantro Citrus Coleslaw, Nutella Brownies
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, Hard Boiled Eggs, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Biscuit Topped Chicken and Green Chile Pie, Chopped Salad, Fruit Salad
• Friday
  Breakfast: Tomato Toast, Sliced Oranges, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Cheese Tortellini with Fresh Tomato Pepper Sauce, Fruit Salad
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Bacon, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Not Texas Chili, Chopped Red Onion, Chopped Jalapeños, Chopped Cilantro, Sour Cream, Tortilla Chips

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday. Linking to Menu Plan Monday

Labels: Blessed Virgin, Family, Frugality, Governor Inslee Needs a Frozen Fish to the Forehead, Homemaking, Homesteading, Menu Plans, Quarantine, Shelftember, Tales from the Kitchen, Theotokos